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msfocusmagazine.org
Caregivers’ Night Out Contest: 
2025 Winners
    MS Focus Activities
For most people, November is best known for the changing weather, shopping, and Thanksgiving 
dinner. But it is also recognized as National Caregivers’ Month. For many members of the MS com­
munity, their lives would be vastly different, and more difficult, without a caregiver. In 2002, MS 
Focus set out to do something special to celebrate caregivers across the country. We asked our 
readers to tell us about the things their caregivers do, and how much they mean to them.  
For 23 years, we have received thousands of submissions about the unconditional,  
life-changing care and support provided by wives, husbands, parents, children, siblings, friends, 
and neighbors across the country. This year is no exception. 
Caregivers deserve praise year-round. Make sure you let them know just how much you 
care about them and appreciate the things they do. 
Here are some excerpts from the letters submitted by our 2025 winners: 
Tyler Beckham  - Nominated by Kayla Beckham, Dawson, Ga. 
My husband, my best friend. We were only one year married, I had just given birth 
to my first baby girl, then, 10 months later, one random day, I woke up completely 
numb from my face to my toes. Doctors didn’t know what was wrong. I went through 
so much testing. A month went by – still numb. Then I lost complete ability to walk and 
talk. The doctors finally confirmed it was MS. My husband stood by my side, took me 
to therapy, put me on the toilet, carried me up stairs, and carried me to bed – for 
months. I was in a wheelchair and couldn’t speak for my daughter’s first birthday. My husband 
was and is a Godsend. I’m forever thankful and blessed to have him in good and bad 
Mark DiPasquale — Nominated by Karen Mattson, Hopkins, Minn.  
Mark is my registered domestic partner. We've been together since 2007. My MS  
diagnosis was in 2003. And by 2011, I was using crutches to get around. I used to do lots 
of the household chores and yard work, and now he has to do everything except the dishes. 
He never complains, is often inventing things to make my life easier. Even feeds my feral 
cats, raccoons, groundhogs, deer, and possums when I cannot, which is more often as my 
disease progresses. I miss shoveling snow and those things, but I'm super grateful for him. 
 
 
Damien DuBay - Nominated by Linda Theriault, Eliot, Maine, 
       My grandson will be 23 years old on Dec. 31. He has Down syndrome, but he is the 
best caregiver ever. He helps me with laundry, walking, shopping, making my 
bed, bringing in groceries and putting them in the fridge or cabinet, and he 
is so concerned as to my well-being. 

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